Tom Pedulla presents a half-dozen takeaways from the $5 million Kentucky Derby Introduced by Woodford Reserve, the $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks, and different main developments at Churchill Downs this weekend.
TWO FOR THE RECORD BOOKS: Coach Ken McPeek achieved a feat that had been accomplished solely 3 times beforehand in 149 years by sweeping the 2024 Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby. With Churchill Downs celebrating the 150th working of each races, it’s notable that the final coach to finish an Oaks-Derby double did so greater than 70 years in the past when Ben Jones received the Kentucky Oaks with Actual Delight and the Derby with Hill Gail in 1952. McPeek secured the sweep when Thorpedo Anna received the Longines Kentucky Oaks on Friday by 4 ¾ lengths and Mystik Dan held on to win the Kentucky Derby by a nostril Saturday in entrance of a crowd of 156,710. Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. turned the eighth jockey to attain an Oaks-Derby double and the primary since Calvin Borel did so aboard Rachel Alexandra and Mine That Hen in 2009.
COSTLY MISTAKE: Sierra Leone, who missed profitable the Kentucky Derby by lower than the official nostril as a part of a three-horse photograph with victorious Mystik Dan and Japan’s Ceaselessly Younger, gave jockey Tyler Gaffalione all he had bodily. From a psychological standpoint, it seems the $2.3 million yearling remains to be missing. “I felt like I had loads of horse,” Gaffalione stated. “He needed to lean in [Saturday in the stretch] and made it slightly tough. I had a tough time maintaining him straight and that undoubtedly price us. He provides you the whole lot, very responsive, however he loses focus.” The son of Gun Runner, despatched off because the second alternative within the wagering after Fierceness, suffered solely his second loss in six begins.
FALLING SHORT: Iowa-based Albaugh Household Stables although it would lastly have the appropriate horse when Catching Freedom, winner of the 1 3/16-mile Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby, turned its eighth Derby starter since 2016. The son of Structure seemed to be in excellent hanging place for coach Brad Cox and jockey Flavien Prat. “I used to be touring effectively and had an opportunity to chop each nook and save all the bottom,” Prat famous. Catching Freedom took fourth for Albaugh, which settled for third final 12 months with Angel of Empire. “Total I used to be very proud of Catching Freedom’s effort, I actually was and the journey Flavien gave him,” Cox stated.
AWFUL TRIP: With a 20-horse discipline and the desperation jockeys really feel to achieve the primary flip in a great spot, the Derby might be over for some horses nearly earlier than it begins. That was the case with Honor Marie, the well-regarded Louisiana Derby runner-up. “My race was over popping out of the gate,” jockey Ben Curtis stated. “I bought speared from either side. I misplaced an iron and needed to put it again in. He was almost down on his head, however I gave him time to choose himself up. He didn’t get the smoothest first quarter of a mile and I simply let him float round a bit after that.” Below the circumstances, the son of Honor Code did effectively to complete seventh.
PREAKNESS NEXT?: Though he rated the probabilities at “lower than 50%,” coach Ken McPeek just isn’t ruling out the Might 18 Preakness Stakes as the following begin for Thorpedo Anna, commanding winner of the one hundred and fiftieth Longines Kentucky Oaks Friday. “We’re going to have a look at the Preakness, however she’s going to have to indicate us. Within the subsequent three or 4 days, we’ll get some readability,” McPeek stated. There are at the very least a few components working in opposition to having her tackle the boys within the center jewel of the Triple Crown. Since she just isn’t nominated to the spring classics, the connections could be taking a look at $150,000 in charges. Past that, Thorpedo Anna didn’t fairly clear her feed tub after the completion of the 1 1/8-mile race, a sign of fatigue that’s hardly stunning. McPeek captured the Preakness with the filly Swiss Skydiver after she positioned second within the Oaks in 2020.
CHAMP IS BACK: Idiomatic, 2023 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner and champion older feminine, seems to be to be sitting on an enormous 5-year-old season. She kicked off her marketing campaign with a formidable 3 ¾-length victory within the $1 million Fasig-Tipton La Troienne Stakes Friday for coach Brad Cox and jockey Florent Geroux. The end result was by no means in severe doubt. She accomplished the mile and a sixteenth on a sloppy monitor in 1:43.24 for her sixth consecutive victory. She improved her general report to 10 wins, one second, and two thirds via 13 begins whereas her earnings ballooned to $3,076,840. “You possibly can inform she was wanting round slightly bit. She will get slightly distracted generally,” stated Geroux. “However she seems to be like she’s again to her outdated self.” Will probably be fascinating to see whether or not Cox checks the Juddmonte homebred in opposition to males in some unspecified time in the future this season in a bid for Horse of the 12 months honors. The dearth of such a matchup saved her from receiving severe consideration for that honor final 12 months.